Derek William Dick (born 25 April 1958), better known by his stage name Fish, is a
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
singer-songwriter and occasional actor.
Fish became widely known as the lead singer and lyricist of the
neo-progressive rock band
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becoming the mos ...
from 1981 until 1988.
He released 11 UK Top 40 singles with the band, including the Top Ten singles "
Kayleigh", "
Lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and east ...
" and "
Incommunicado
Incommunicado, from the Spanish incomunicado, means "cut off from contact", "impossible to reach".
It may also refer to:
*''Incommunicado'', an album by Alex Smoke
* "Incommunicado" (song), a 1987 single by Marillion
*Solitary confinement
Sol ...
", and five Top Ten albums, including a number-one with ''
Misplaced Childhood''. In his solo career, Fish has explored contemporary
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
and traditional
folk,
and released a further five Top 40 singles and a Top 10 album.
Fish's voice has been described as both "distinct" and a "conflation of
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the Rock music, rock band The Who.
Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Won't Ge ...
and
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
",
[ David Hepworth's review of ]Clutching at Straws
''Clutching at Straws'' is the fourth studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released on June 22, 1987. It was the last album with lead singer Fish, who left the band in 1988, and is a concept album.
Although ''Clutch ...
. '' Q magazine''. July 1987. while his lyrics have been praised as "
poetic prose
Prose poetry is poetry written in prose form instead of verse form, while preserving poetic qualities such as heightened imagery, parataxis, and emotional effects.
Characteristics
Prose poetry is written as prose, without the line breaks associat ...
".
In 2004, ''
Classic Rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...
'' ranked Fish at number 49 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Frontmen", describing his "theatrical delivery" as "a major factor in Marillion's spectacular rise, and he masterminded some uniquely ornate lyrical concepts." In 2009, Fish was voted at number 37 in a poll of the greatest voices in rock music by
Planet Rock Planet Rock may refer to:
* "Planet Rock" (song), a 1982 song by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force
** '' Planet Rock: The Album'', a 1986 album containing the song
* Planet Rock (radio station) Planet Rock may refer to:
* "Planet Rock" ...
listeners.
In 2020, Fish released his final studio album ''Weltschmerz'' (German for "world-weariness"), to positive reviews and commercial success.
Early life
Derek William Dick was born on 25 April 1958 in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, Scotland, and grew up in
Dalkeith
Dalkeith ( ; gd, Dail Cheith, IPA: ˆt̪alˈçe is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540. The settlement of Dalkeith grew southwestwards from its 12th-ce ...
.
The son of Robert and Isabella, Fish was educated at King's Park primary school and then
Dalkeith High School
Dalkeith High School is a secondary state school located in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland.
History
Dalkeith High School was previously the historic Dalkeith Grammar School. A list of masters of the Grammar School at Dalkeith (located on the Hig ...
. He was inspired by the music of many of the rock artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s, including
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...
,
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
,
the Moody Blues
The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The group c ...
,
the Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...
,
T. Rex
''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' liv ...
,
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
,
Argent
In heraldry, argent () is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it. In engravings and line drawings, regions t ...
and
the Alex Harvey Band
Alexander James Harvey (5 February 1935 – 4 February 1982) was a Scottish rock and blues musician. Although his career spanned almost three decades, he is best remembered as the frontman of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, with whom he bui ...
(Fish would later pay tribute to these early influences on his covers album ''
Songs from the Mirror''). Fish has also cited Canadian singer-songwriter
Joni Mitchell as "one of the biggest influences on me because of her approach to lyrics". The first band he saw live was
Yes
Yes or YES may refer to:
* An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no
Education
* YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US
* YES (Your Extraordinary Saturday), a learning program from the Minnesota Institute for Talente ...
at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, in 1974. As well as his love for music, he was also a voracious reader, and his literary inspirations included
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation.
Of French-Canadian anc ...
,
Truman Capote
Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...
,
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who ha ...
and
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems " Do not go gentle into that good night" and " And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" ''Unde ...
(all of whom would later be depicted on the sleeve of Marillion's ''
Clutching at Straws
''Clutching at Straws'' is the fourth studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released on June 22, 1987. It was the last album with lead singer Fish, who left the band in 1988, and is a concept album.
Although ''Clutch ...
'').
Fish worked as a
petrol pump attendant,
gardener
A gardener is someone who practices gardening, either professionally or as a hobby.
Description
A gardener is any person involved in gardening, arguably the oldest occupation, from the hobbyist in a residential garden, the home-owner supple ...
, and from 1977 until 1980 worked in
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...
at the Bowhill Estate in
Selkirk. While living in
Fochabers
Fochabers (; gd, Fachabair or Fothabair) is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, east of the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. 1,728 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musi ...
,
Moray he adopted the nickname of Fish, which originated from a landlord who lamented the amount of time he spent in the bath.
Fish has been quoted: "With a real name of Derek William Dick, it became very necessary to find a nickname as quickly as possible."
He first performed as a singer in 1980: "The very first gig I ever did as a singer was in Gala
alashielsin the Golden Lion pub."
He moved to
Church Laneham
Church Laneham is a hamlet in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 9 miles east of Retford, on the west bank of the tidal section of the River Trent. The hamlet is within the Laneham civil parish, and is ½ mile to the east of Laneham. It ...
, Notts in mid 1980 following a successful audition for the Stone Dome Band, and then to
Aylesbury at the start of 1981 in the process of joining
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becoming the mos ...
.
Marillion
Fish joined
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becoming the mos ...
in 1981.
The band gained popularity over the next couple of years, leading to the release of their top-ten debut album ''
Script for a Jester's Tear'' in 1983. They achieved further chart success in the UK, attaining top-ten hit singles in 1985 with "
Kayleigh" and "
Lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and east ...
", and again in 1987 with "
Incommunicado
Incommunicado, from the Spanish incomunicado, means "cut off from contact", "impossible to reach".
It may also refer to:
*''Incommunicado'', an album by Alex Smoke
* "Incommunicado" (song), a 1987 single by Marillion
*Solitary confinement
Sol ...
". In 1988, due to the stress of touring and the detrimental effect it was having on his health, as well as having a falling out with bandmate Steve Rothery,
Fish left Marillion to pursue a solo career.
Lyrics from the song "
Kayleigh" were etched into paving stones in Market Square in
Galashiels
Galashiels (; sco, Gallae, gd, An Geal Àth) is a town in the Scottish Borders with a population of around 12,600. Its name is often colloquially shortened to "Gala". The town is a major commercial centre for the Borders region with extensiv ...
in 2012. The lines "stilettoes in the snow", and "moon-washed college halls" were inspired by Fish's girlfriend of the time, who was at the Scottish College of Textiles in Galashiels in the 1980s.
Solo career
Fish’s debut solo album ''
Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors'' was released in January 1990. Several well known musicians contributed to the album, including former
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and pe ...
guitarist
Hal Lindes, who played guitar on most tracks and also contributed to the writing of three of the album’s songs.
Frank Usher
Frank Usher (born 4 August 1949, in Gateshead, County Durham, England) is an English guitarist best known for his work in Fish's band. Usher lives and operates a guitar-manufacturing business in Innerleithen, Scotland. Throughout the 1970s and ...
, a Fish companion from pre-Marillion times, also contributed. Drums were played by
Mark Brzezicki
Mark Michael Brzezicki ( , ; born 21 June 1957) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Scottish rock band Big Country. He has also played with the Cult, Ultravox, From the Jam, Procol Harum, Rick Astley, the Crazy World ...
(
Big Country
Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981.
The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although it has retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music incorporated Scott ...
) and
John Keeble (
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet () were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids, playing "European D ...
),
John Giblin contributed bass and
LuÃs Jardim contributed additional percussion. Backing vocals came from
Tessa Niles
Tessa Margaret Niles ( ''née'' Webb; born 27 January 1961 in Ilford, Essex) is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of contemporary artists. She began her professional singing career in 1979.
Early life and ca ...
, who had appeared on ''
Clutching at Straws
''Clutching at Straws'' is the fourth studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released on June 22, 1987. It was the last album with lead singer Fish, who left the band in 1988, and is a concept album.
Although ''Clutch ...
''. Fish also composed the theme music for the 1990s BBC TV series
''Between the Lines''.
Many of Fish's later works contain lengthy
spoken-word lyrics, shorter examples of which can be heard on earlier Marillion albums. Fish has collaborated with
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...
founder
Tony Banks on his ''
Still
A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor. A still uses the same concepts as a basic distillation apparatus, but on a much larger scale. Stills have been u ...
'' and ''
Soundtracks'' albums, singing on the tracks "Shortcut to Somewhere", "Angel Face" and "Another Murder of a Day", co-writing the latter.
Fish appeared at World Bowl XI, 14 June 2003, Hampden Park, Glasgow. His performance included a rousing rendition of "Caledonia" before kick-off.
On 26 August 2007, Fish performed at the 'Hobble on The Cobbles' show at the Market Square in
Aylesbury. He was accompanied on stage by his four former Marillion bandmates from the classic line-up (
Mark Kelly
Mark Edward Kelly (born February 21, 1964) is an American politician, former astronaut, and United States Navy captain who has served as the junior United States senator from Arizona since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elect ...
,
Steve Rothery,
Ian Mosley and
Pete Trewavas) for one song: '
Market Square Heroes'. This was the first time they had performed together in nearly two decades. In a press interview following the event, Fish denied this would lead to a full reunion, claiming that "Hogarth does a great job with the band ... We forged different paths over the 19 years."
His album ''
13th Star
''13th Star'' is the ninth solo studio album (eighth of original material) by Fish since he left Marillion in 1988. Released as a limited edition via mail-order in September 2007 and to retail in February 2008, it is his first since ''Field of Cr ...
'' was released on 12 September 2007 as a specially packaged pre-release version available to order from his website. A UK tour for this album commenced in March 2008, supported by
Glyder. In February 2008, Fish was confirmed to be the Friday-night headline act at
NEARFest X. He also appeared with
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content ...
's
Bob Harris on
GMTV to promote
Childline Rocks, a charity concert.
In 2008, Fish presented a Friday evening radio show, ''Fish on Friday'', for digital radio station
Planet Rock Planet Rock may refer to:
* "Planet Rock" (song), a 1982 song by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force
** '' Planet Rock: The Album'', a 1986 album containing the song
* Planet Rock (radio station) Planet Rock may refer to:
* "Planet Rock" ...
. When the station was faced with closure, Malcolm Bluemel (with the help of Fish,
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. I ...
,
Ian Anderson and
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
) helped save Planet Rock by buying the station.
On 9 June 2008, Fish embarked on his first full North American tour in eleven years. At each stop, he hosted a pre-show meet-and-greet with his fans. Two days prior, he was interviewed by Vince Font of the progressive rock podcast Prog'opolis, which was aired a week later on The Dividing Line Broadcast Network (DLBN) as "My Lunch With Fish".
In 2005, Fish won a Celebrity Music edition of ''
The Weakest Link'', beating Eggsy of
Goldie Lookin Chain in the final round, sharing £18,750 with Eggsy's charity and his own.
On 20 and 21 October 2012, Fish hosted Fish Convention 2012 in
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. Originally a small village called Leamington Priors, it grew into a spa town in the 18th century following ...
. He performed two acoustic sets and two electric sets, including material from his upcoming release, ''Feast of Consequences''. He also performed "Grendel", a fan-favourite Marillion B-side, twice.
In September 2020, Fish released ''Weltschmerz'', his final studio album. The album was supported by the singles 'Weltschmerz', 'Garden of Remembrance' and 'This Party's Over'. The album received positive reviews and was very commercially successful, having sold over 60,000 copies to date.
Musical style
Fish has sometimes been compared to
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
, original lead singer of
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book o ...
in the early 1970s, and his voice has even been described as "uncannily close". Music journalist
David Hepworth described his voice as a "conflation of
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the Rock music, rock band The Who.
Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Won't Ge ...
and
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
".
Fish has acknowledged Gabriel's influence on him and some vocal similarities, but has rejected accusations from some critics during his career that he does not have a unique voice of his own.
Peter Hammill of
Van der Graaf Generator was also a major influence on his songwriting and vocal delivery, which is especially notable on the first two Marillion albums.
Record labels
Following a legal dispute with
EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
and an unsuccessful contract with
Polydor, Fish established the Dick Bros Record Company in
Haddington in 1993. The studio recorded ''In Amber'' by
Dream Disciples
Dream Disciples were a Scottish band, formed in 1990 by Col Lowing (vocals), Julian 'Sid' Bratley (guitar and keyboard) and Stephen McKean (bass guitar). Soon joined by Scott Prentice on drums, they made their debut with the mini-album ''Veil of ...
(1994) and ''Man Dancin'' by
Tam White in (1996). He released a number of "official
bootleg" albums to finance the company before selling it to
Roadrunner Records. Another financially unsuccessful period followed before he re-established his own Chocolate Frog Records label in 2001. He signed with
Snapper Music in 2005, but later returned to Chocolate Frog Records.
After having his own independent record company in the 1990s which charted a number of releases in the chart, Fish decided not to sign up to the
Official Chart Company when he released ''Weltschmerz'', an album self-funded, marketed and distributed from his home in Scotland. As Fish did not partner with a record label as per chart rules and regulations, he missed out on a Top Ten chart placing when early sales revealed that he would have been number 2 on the UK midweek charts behind that week's chart topper, the independent band IDLES.
Awards
In May 2008, Fish's Planet Rock show ''Fish on Friday'' won the Silver award in the Music Broadcaster of the Year category at the UK Sony Radio Academy Awards 2008.
In June 2008, at the New York Festivals Radio Broadcasting Awards, he and
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
jointly received the Gold World Medal in the Regularly Scheduled Music Programme category for their respective shows on Planet Rock.
Acting
Fish was offered and accepted a part in the 1986 film ''
Highlander
Highlander may refer to:
Regional cultures
* Gorals (lit. ''Highlanders''), a culture in southern Poland and northern Slovakia
* Hill people, who live in hills and mountains
* Merina people, an ethnic group from the central plateau of Madagascar
...
'' (for which Marillion were also offered the soundtrack) but he eventually had to turn it down, owing to his tour commitments with the band. Fish first appeared on terrestrial television as himself in the "More Bad News" episode of the series ''
The Comic Strip Presents...'' in 1988.
His first acting role was as a guest star in an episode of ''
Zorro
Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilant ...
'' called "The Newcomers" (aired 10 February 1991) but a more prominent role was as the thug Ferguson alongside
John Sessions in ''Jute City'', a four-part 1991 BBC drama based on a group of
Masonic
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
ruffians.
In 1994, he appeared in ''
Chasing the Deer'', a film set during the
1745 Jacobite rebellion
The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theà rlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took pl ...
, as Angus Cameron. He also missed out on a role in ''
Braveheart''. He spent two days with
Mel Gibson
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apocal ...
in London who kept asking him to be involved but he was committed to touring his ''
Suits'' album instead.
In 1998, he appeared as David Lawson in series 14, episode 44 of the
ITV series ''
The Bill
''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983.
The programme focused on ...
'', titled "Manhunt" and was aired on 16 April.
He played Derek Trout, a record producer in the 1998 series, ''
The Young Person's Guide To Becoming A Rock Star''.
He appeared as Barry Judd in a 2000 episode of the TV detective series ''
Rebus
A rebus () is a puzzle device that combines the use of illustrated pictures with individual letters to depict words or phrases. For example: the word "been" might be depicted by a rebus showing an illustrated bumblebee next to a plus sign (+) ...
'' alongside
John Hannah.
Later in 2000, Fish would go on to act this time in the popular Scottish detective television programme ''
Taggart'' episode number 48, "Skin Deep".
In 2001, he auditioned (unsuccessfully) for the
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 19 ...
film ''
Die Another Day
''Die Another Day'' is a 2002 spy film and the twentieth film in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. It was produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and directed by Lee Tamahori. The fourth and final film st ...
''. He then went on to appear in two episodes of ''
Snoddy
''Snoddy'' was a six-part Scottish television sitcom, written and created by Johnny Crawford, that first broadcast on BBC One Scotland on 13 March 2002. The series, which aired at 10:35pm on Wednesdays, starred Gregor Fisher of ''Rab C Nesbit ...
'', a short-lived Scottish television sitcom.
In 2004, Fish played Finlay Price in the TV movie ''
Quite Ugly One Morning'' alongside
James Nesbitt,
Eddie Marsan and
Annette Crosbie.
Fish appeared as Old Nick, a
camp homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...
in the 2002 crime comedy film ''
9 Dead Gay Guys''.
In the 2005 film, ''
The Jacket'', Fish appeared alongside
Adrien Brody
Adrien Nicholas Brody (born April 14, 1973) is an American actor. He received widespread recognition and acclaim after starring as Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's '' The Pianist'' (2002), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Ac ...
and
Keira Knightley as a patient in a mental institution, Jimmy Fleischer, and he played Uncle Jimmy in the 2012 comedy drama ''Electric Man''.
Personal life
On 25 July 1987, Fish married his first wife, Tamara Nowy, a German model who appeared in the music videos for "
Kayleigh", "
Lady Nina", and "A Gentleman's Excuse Me". They divorced in 2003. The marriage produced one daughter, Tara Rowena (Taz), who was born on 1 January 1991. In 2012, she was nominated for Scottish Model of the Year, but she lost to Annie Lennox's daughter.
Following the divorce, Fish entered into a relationship with
Mostly Autumn singer Heather Findlay.
In April 2009, he married his second wife, Katie Webb. The couple divorced after less than a year.
On 14 October 2017, he married his third wife, Simone Rosler, at Aberlady Church, East Lothian, Scotland.
In 2008, Fish stated that he would be taking at least six months off from singing due to an "irregular cell growth" in his throat. It was later determined not to be cancerous.
Fish is a lifelong fan of Edinburgh football club
Hibernian. He also has a keen interest in marine science.
Politics
On politics, Fish said in 1993, "I've got a lot of
socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...
trends, but I work in a
capitalist
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, pri ...
industry. Getting involved in politics can be very dangerous. There are a lot of doors that can shut when you get involved in politics."
He is a supporter of
Scottish independence because he is "dismayed" by the UK's
anti-European stance and does not believe a "London-based government" is "beneficial to the UK as a whole". Fish argued that independence could "shake up British politics" to ensure a more "fair distribution of wealth" throughout the UK. However, he declined to actively campaign in the
2014 Scottish independence referendum
A referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in Scotland on 18 September 2014. The referendum question was, "Should Scotland be an independent country?", which voters answered with "Yes" or "No". The "No" side w ...
because he believed it would be "hypocritical" as he was planning to leave Scotland for Germany to live with his partner and her young son.
Current live band
* Fish – Lead vocals
*
John Mitchell – Electric & acoustic guitars
* Steve Vantsis – Bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
* Spencer Cozens – Keyboards, backing vocals
* Gavin Griffiths – Drums, percussion
* Doris Brendel – backing vocals and whistles
Discography with Marillion
Studio albums
* 1983: ''
Script for a Jester's Tear''
* 1984: ''
Fugazi
Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They are noted for their style-tr ...
''
* 1985: ''
Misplaced Childhood''
* 1987: ''
Clutching at Straws
''Clutching at Straws'' is the fourth studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released on June 22, 1987. It was the last album with lead singer Fish, who left the band in 1988, and is a concept album.
Although ''Clutch ...
''
Live albums
* 1984: ''
Real to Reel''
* 1988: ''
The Thieving Magpie''
* 2008: ''
Early Stages: The Official Bootleg Box Set 1982–1987''
* 2009: ''
Live From Loreley''
* 2009: ''
Recital of the Script''
Compilation albums
* 1986: ''
Brief Encounter
''Brief Encounter'' is a 1945 British Romance film, romantic Drama (film and television), drama film directed by David Lean from a screenplay by Noël Coward, based on his 1936 one-act play ''Still Life (play), Still Life''.
Starring Celia Jo ...
''
* 1988: ''
B'Sides Themselves''
* 2000: ''
The Singles '82–'88 (box set)''
Video albums
* 1983: ''
Recital of the Script'' (Reissued on DVD in 2003 includes Grendel / The Web EP)
* 1984: ''Grendel / The Web EP''
* 1986: ''The Videos 1982–1986''
* 1987: ''Incommunicado / Sugar Mice''
* 1987: ''
Live from Loreley'' (Reissued on VHS / CD package in 1995 and on DVD in 2004).
Singles
* 1982: "
Market Square Heroes"
* 1983: "
He Knows You Know"
* 1983: "
Garden Party"
* 1984: "
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically Mr. Punch and one other character w ...
"
* 1984: "
Assassing"
* 1985: "
Kayleigh"
* 1985: "
Lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and east ...
"
* 1985: "
Heart of Lothian"
* 1986: "
Lady Nina" (US only)
* 1986: "
Welcome to the Garden Party
"Welcome To The Garden Party‘" is a 1986 single by British neo-progressive rock band Marillion released exclusively in West Germany to accompany a series of concerts the band played at festivals in that country as second bill to Queen, foll ...
" (
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
only)
* 1987: "
Incommunicado
Incommunicado, from the Spanish incomunicado, means "cut off from contact", "impossible to reach".
It may also refer to:
*''Incommunicado'', an album by Alex Smoke
* "Incommunicado" (song), a 1987 single by Marillion
*Solitary confinement
Sol ...
"
* 1987: "
Sugar Mice"
* 1987: "
Warm Wet Circles"
* 1988: "
Freaks" (Live)
Solo discography
Studio albums
* 1990: ''
Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors''
* 1991: ''
Internal Exile''
* 1993: ''
Songs from the Mirror''
* 1994: ''
Suits''
* 1997: ''
Sunsets on Empire''
* 1999: ''Raingods with Zippos''
* 2001: ''
Fellini Days
''Fellini Days'' is Fish's seventh solo studio album since leaving Marillion in 1988, his first since '' Raingods with Zippos'' (1999) and the first on his own label Chocolate Frog Records.
"Having long ago cast into exile the ghosts of prog ro ...
''
* 2004: ''
Field of Crows''
* 2007: ''
13th Star
''13th Star'' is the ninth solo studio album (eighth of original material) by Fish since he left Marillion in 1988. Released as a limited edition via mail-order in September 2007 and to retail in February 2008, it is his first since ''Field of Cr ...
''
* 2013: ''
A Feast of Consequences
''A Feast of Consequences'' is an album by Fish. It is his tenth solo studio album since he left Marillion in 1988 and the first since ''13th Star'' (2007). It was released on Fish's own imprint Chocolate Frog Record Company.
Track listing
All ...
''
* 2020: ''Weltschmerz''
References
External links
*Official website (as of 2017) –
* provides information on Fish and his acting career.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fish
1958 births
20th-century Scottish male actors
21st-century Scottish male actors
Art rock musicians
Living people
Marillion members
People associated with Edinburgh
People educated at Dalkeith High School
People from Dalkeith
People from Midlothian
Scottish expatriates in Germany
Scottish male film actors
20th-century Scottish male singers
Scottish male television actors
Scottish nationalists
Scottish rock singers
Scottish socialists
Scottish songwriters
21st-century Scottish male singers